Best 3 Classic Eggs Benedict Recipes

CLASSIC EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, vigorously stir egg yolks and lemon juice with wire whisk. Add 1/4 cup of the butter. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk, until butter is melted.
• Add remaining 1/4 cup butter. Continue stirring vigorously until butter is melted and sauce is thickened. (Be sure butter melts slowly so eggs have time to cook and thicken sauce without curdling.) If the sauce curdles (mixture begins to separate and melted butter starts to appear around the edge of the pan and on top of the sauce), add about 1 tablespoon boiling water and beat vigorously with wire whisk or egg beater until smooth. Keep warm.
• Split English muffins; toast. Spread each muffin half with some of the 3 tablespoons butter; keep warm.
• In 10-inch skillet, melt 1 teaspoon butter over medium heat. Cook bacon in butter until light brown on both sides; keep warm.
• Wipe out skillet to clean; fill with 2 to 3 inches water. Add vinegar to water. Heat to boiling; reduce to simmering. Break cold eggs, one at a time, into custard cup or saucer. Holding dish close to water's surface, carefully slip eggs into water. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until whites and yolks are firm, not runny (water should be gently simmering and not boiling). Remove with slotted spoon.
• Place 1 slice bacon on each muffin half. Top with egg. Spoon warm sauce over eggs. Sprinkle with paprika.

CLASSIC EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• Make the hollandaise sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until no longer foamy (but not browned), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the clear butter to a liquid measuring cup, leaving the milk solids on the bottom of the pan; discard the solids.
• Heat 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not simmering. Combine the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon water and 2 teaspoons lemon juice in a medium stainless-steel bowl. Set the bowl on the saucepan (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking constantly, until the egg mixture is pale yellow and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Check periodically to make sure the water isn't boiling or the egg yolks might overcook.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan; slowly pour in the melted butter, a drop at a time at first, whisking constantly until thick. Whisk in the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, the cayenne and ¼ teaspoon salt. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen. Return the bowl to the saucepan of water with the heat turned off to keep warm; whisk occasionally.
• Make the Eggs Benedict: Fill a large wide pot with 3 inches of water. Heat over medium-high heat until steaming with small bubbles; reduce the heat as needed to maintain a bare simmer. Stir in the vinegar. Crack 4 eggs into individual small bowls or ramekins. Carefully tip the eggs into the water, spacing them as far apart as possible. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 3 to 3½ minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen towel. Gently blot the eggs dry and trim off any wispy pieces. Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until lightly browned and warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Meanwhile, toast the English muffins and spread with butter.
• Top each English muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. Thin the hollandaise sauce with more warm water, if necessary, and season with salt. Spoon over the poached eggs and sprinkle with chopped chives.

CLASSIC EGGS BENEDICT WITH BLENDER HOLLANDAISE

Steps:

• Make the hollandaise:
• Cook butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted and foamy. Pour into a spouted measuring cup leaving milk solids in bottom of pot; discard milk solids.
• Blend egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tsp. water in a blender until smooth. Remove small inset lid from top and, with the motor running, slowly pour in butter in a thin stream. Add salt and blend until creamy. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if needed. Transfer to a glass bowl, measuring cup, or small pot. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface so a skin doesn't form, then place close to stovetop to keep warm up to 1 hour. If hollandaise seems too thick when you're ready to serve, whisk in warm water 1 tsp. at a time.
• Assemble the eggs Benedict:
• Heat a large pot of salted water over high until tiny bubbles appear on the bottom (water temperature should be about 180°F). Reduce heat to very low to maintain the temperature.
• Meanwhile, using a toaster, toaster oven, or oven set at 400°F, toast English muffins until golden brown. Slather muffins with butter and divide among plates.
• Heat a dry large skillet over medium-high and cook bacon until browned and warmed through, 2-3 minutes per side. Top each muffin half with bacon.
• Adjust heat so water temperature is about 180°F. For perfectly shaped poached eggs with minimal wispy egg white strands, set a medium-sized fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl, then gently transfer to strainer. Gently swirl for a few seconds to allow any stray whites to drain, then scrape bottom of strainer on lip of bowl to remove any excess.
• With egg still in strainer, carefully lower into hot water until egg is completely submerged. Gently shake and swirl strainer, shaping egg with a slotted spoon. When edges of egg white start to turn opaque (about 30 seconds), carefully release egg from strainer with slotted spoon into water.
• Cook egg, flipping occasionally with slotted spoon, until white is opaque and firm and yolk is plump and jiggles slightly to the touch, 3-3 1/2 minutes more. While first egg is cooking, repeat steps to cook remaining eggs, but keep an eye on which went in first. Use a timer to avoid overcooking.
• When egg is ready, carefully remove from hot water with slotted spoon. To serve immediately, place a paper towel under spoon and shake spoon gently to remove excess water. Transfer egg to an oiled plate or rimmed baking sheet, or place 1 egg on top of each piece of bacon.
• Spoon a few tablespoons of hollandaise over eggs. Top with chives and a light dusting of paprika, if desired. Serve immediately.
• Do Ahead
• To poach eggs in advance, immediately transfer poached eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to a resealable container filled with cold water (eggs should be fully submerged) and chill up to 3 days. To serve, place eggs in a bowl of hot tap water until they feel warm to the touch, about 2 minutes.
• Hollandaise can made 2 days ahead; press plastic wrap directly on surface and chill. To serve, fill a saucepan with a few inches of water and set a heatproof bowl on top (bottom of bowl should not touch water). Bring water to a simmer over medium-low heat and transfer hollandaise to bowl. Gently reheat sauce, whisking occasionally, until warm. If it's too thick, whisk in hot tap water 1 tsp. at a time.